page_title: Great Seal of the Realm
section_title: Kingdom of England
hierarchical_section_title: Great Seal of the Realm / Inscriptions on the Great Seal / Kingdom of England
caption_attribution_description: Great Seal of England: "IOHANNES DEI GRACIA REX ANGLIE ET DOMINVS HIBERNIE"
context_page_description: The Great Seal of the Realm or Great Seal of the United Kingdom is a seal that is used to symbolise the Sovereign's approval of state documents.
  Scotland has had its own great seal since the 14th century. The Acts of Union 1707, joining the kingdoms of Scotland and England, provided for the use of a single Great Seal for the new Kingdom of Great Britain. However, it also provided for the continued use of a separate Scottish seal to be used there, and this seal continues to be called the Great Seal of Scotland, although it is not technically one. A new Welsh Seal was introduced in 2011.
  Sealing wax is melted in a metal mould or matrix and impressed into a wax figure that is attached by cord or ribbon to documents that the Monarch wishes to seal officially.
  The formal keeper of the seal is the Lord High Chancellor of Great Britain.
context_section_description: Edward the Confessor. SIGILLVM EADVVARDI ANGLORVM BASILEI
  Seal of Edward, Sovereign of the English.
  William II. WILLELMVS DEI GRATIA REX ANGLORVM
  William, by the grace of God, King of the English.
  Henry I. HENRICVS DEI GRATIA REX ANGLORVM / HENRICVS DEI GRATIA DVX NORMANNORVM
  Henry, by the grace of God, King of the English / Henry, by the grace of God, Duke of the Normans.
  Stephen. STEPHANVS DEI GRATIA REX ANGLORVM
  Stephen, by the grace of God, King of the English.
  Henry II. HENRICVS DEI GRATIA REX ANGLORVM / HENR[ICVS] DEI GRA[TIA] DVX NORMANNORVM ET AQUIT[ANORVM] ET COM[ES] ANDEG[AVORVM]
  Henry, by the grace of God, King of the English / Henry, by the grace of God, Duke of the Normans and of the Aquitanians and Count of the Angevins.
  Richard I. RICARDVS DEI GRATIA REX ANGLORVM / RICARDVS DEI GRATIA DVX NORMANNORVM ET AQUITANORVM ET COMES ANDEGAVORVM
  Richard, by the grace of God, King of the English / Richard, by the grace of God, Duke of the Normans and of the Aquitanians and Count of the Angevins.
  John. IOHANNES DEI GRACIA REX ANGLIE ET DOMINVS HIBERNIE / IOH[ANNE]S DVX NORMANNIE ET AQUITANIE COMES ANDEGAVIE
  John, by the grace of God, King of England and Lord of Ireland / John, Duke of Normandy and of Aquitaine, Count of Anjou.
  Henry III. HENRICVS DEI GRACIA REX ANGLIE DOMINVS HIBERNIE DVX AQUITANIE
  Henry, by the grace of God, King of England, Lord of Ireland, Duke of Aquitaine.
  Edward I. EDWARDVS DEI GRACIA REX ANGLIE DOMINVS HYBERNIE DVX AQUITANIE
  Edward, by the grace of God, King of England, Lord of Ireland, Duke of Aquitaine.
  Edward II. EDWARDVS DEI GRACIA REX ANGLIE DOMINVS HYBERNIE DVX AQUITANIE
  Edward, by the grace of God, King of England, Lord of Ireland, Duke of Aquitaine.
  Edward III. EDWARDVS DEI GRACIA REX ANGLIE D[OMI]N[V]S HIBERNIE ET AQUITANIE
  Edward, by the grace of God, King of England, Lord of Ireland and of Aquitaine.
  Richard II. RICARDVS DEI GRACIA REX FRANCIE ET ANGLIE ET D[OMI]N[V]S HIBERNIE
  Richard, by the grace of God, King of France and England and Lord of Ireland.
  Henry IV. HENRICVS DEI GRACIA REX FRANCIE ET ANGLIE ET D[OMI]N[V]S HIBERNIE
  Henry, by the grace of God, King of France and England and Lord of Ireland.
  Henry V. HENRICVS DEI GRACIA REX FRANCIE ET ANGLIE ET D[OMI]N[V]S HIBERNIE / HENRICVS DEI GRACIA REX ANGLIE ET FRANCIE ET DOMINUS HIBERNIE
  Henry, by the grace of God, King of France and England and Lord of Ireland / Henry, by the grace of God, King of England and France and Lord of Ireland.
  Henry VI. HENRICVS DEI GRACIA FRANCORVM ET ANGLIE REX
  Henry, by the grace of God, of the French and of England, King.
  Edward IV. EDWARDVS DEI GRACIA REX ANGLIE & FRANCIE ET DOMINVS HIBERNIE
  Edward, by the grace of God, King of England and France and Lord of Ireland.
  Richard III. RICARDVS DEI GRACIA REX ANGLIE ET FRANCIE ET DOMINVS HIBERNIE
  Richard, by the grace of God, King of England and France and Lord of Ireland.
  Henry VII. HENRICVS DEI GRACIA REX ANGLIE ET FRANCIE ET DOMINVS HIBERNIE
  Henry, by the grace of God, King of England and France and Lord of Ireland.
  Henry VIII. HENRICVS OCTAV[V]S DEI GRATIA ANGLIE ET FRANCIE ET HIBERNIE REX FIDEI DEFE[N]SOR ET [IN] TER[R]A ECCLESIA[E] A[N]GLICANE ET HIBERNICE SVPREM[VM] CA[PVT]
  Henry the Eighth, by the grace of God, of England and France and Ireland King, Defender of the Faith, and on Earth, of the English and Irish Church, Supreme Head.
  Edward VI. ... EDWARDI SEXTI DEI GRATIA ANGLIE FRANCIE / ET HIBERNIE REX FIDEI DEFE[N]SOR ET IN TERRA ECCLESIE ANGLICANE ET HIBERNICE SVPREMVM CAPVT
  ... of Edward the Sixth, by the grace of God of England, France / and of Ireland King, Defender of the Faith, and on Earth, of the English and Irish Church, Supreme Head.
  Mary I. MARIA D[EI] G[RATIA] ANGLIE FRANCIE ET HIBERNIE REGINA EIVS NOMINIS PRIMA FIDEI DEFENSOR
  Mary, by the grace of God, of England, France and Ireland, Queen, first of that name, Defender of the Faith.
  Elizabeth I. ELIZABETHA DEI GRACIA ANGLIE FRANCIE ET HIBERNIE REGINA FIDEI DEFENSOR
  Elizabeth, by the grace of God, of England, France and Ireland, Queen, Defender of the Faith.
caption: The Great Seal of King John
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